Foundation Focus, November 2012 From The Desk of Shane McGoey Southward Bound… and away we go!! Last spring the National Council and Staff made an intentional effort to expand the Fraternity to the south and Midwest. Many meetings were had with school administrators and Greek leaders on specific campuses, presentations were made to students, pockets of alumni were identified that could be called upon to help, and the Fraternity was looking differently at expansion – being more selective in the schools we wanted to be at and the type of student we wanted to recruit. It’s been a long road, but I am happy to report that our efforts are starting to pay off! Presently, we have interest groups at Seton Hall University, the University of Alabama, and The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). Staff members are presently visiting these campuses to conduct feasibility assessments. What do they assess? The assessments are tailored to tell us if we will be successful on a given campus. We look at the student population and trends related to admissions on each campus, we look at grades to assess what individual students are accomplishing and how fraternities, in general, are doing to support academic accomplishments, we look at dues structures, house occupancies and rent of Greek houses presently on campus, we examine how the institution supports Greek Life and in what ways can we support or compliment the mission of the institution, and we look at the community overall – is the local government supportive of zoning issues related to Fraternity Houses, for example. In addition, we identify alumni in the area who can help, we talk with faculty to identify one who will be interested and willing to serve as Faculty Advisor, we identify local service opportunities that colonies can become involved in. And most importantly, we ensure that the policies and requirements of the local IFC and University are acceptable to us. Our philosophy has always been that we work in collaboration with the host institution and its student leaders to ensure that the experience is a win-win for all involved. In the past, this was summed up in our expansion motto of “Slow but Sure.” A more appropriate statement in today’s environment might be “Deliberate and Verifiable.” Alpha Chi Rho is on the move cultivating men of word and deed! If you are interested in helping or perhaps you have a son who is on a campus that Alpha Chi Rho is not presently, then give us a call. If our expansion plans allow, we will be more than happy to share the Alpha Chi Rho experience with others. All the Best, Shane
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Graduate News
Phi Iota Chi (Central Michigan University) Brothers get together and tell lies, I mean hang out at BlackFinn in Royal Oak. We had grads from 1989 to 2011. It was casual fun and we will do it again soon. Perhaps the guys in Grand Rapids could arrange something similar on the other side of the state. If you have any thoughts on times or locations for the next Metro Detroit gathering please send me an email. Also, feel free to pass this along to any Brothers that did not receive it and send me updated email addresses. In the Bond, Steve Grimes ‘89 steve@firstset.net
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Brother spotlight Chaplain’s Corner Charles Lauzon (Delta Sigma Phi, 1976) Worcester Polytechnic Institute Imagine having a job that allows you to travel the world. Visiting exotic places, meeting people from different cultures, and enjoying your career helping others improve their way of life. Many would argue that that is exactly the type of life Charles Lauzon has had for numerous years. But getting there required a lot of hard work and time. “I grew up in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and decided to go to WPI due in large part on its solid reputation, highly dedicated and motivated teaching staff, and their attractive New England campus and focus on engineering. I majored in Chemical Engineering in my undergraduate years and then earned a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering.” After completing his degrees in engineering, Charles worked for three years as a plant engineer in New Jersey. Later, he attended INSEAD in France for his MBA where he learned French and some German. Afterwards, Charles worked for large corporations as a business analyst, international sales manager, and a plant/profit center director. “In my early forty’s,” Charles offers, “I was asked to complete some chemical industry business plans in Russia. Well one thing led to another and after completing numerous assignments in Russia, I met a contractor who needed someone to complete a difficult chemical waste related project in Russia.” This was the first of many projects that required Charles to interact with contractors and funding agencies in eastern Europe. The experience allowed Charles to become a freelance consultant on engineering waste management projects that were funded through international donor agencies. “The experience working with the World Bank, Europeaid, and USAID, for example, is exhilarating! You constantly meet new people, new countries, and new challenges. However, there is a drawback as you are constantly searching for new assignments to keep yourself busy and employed.” Charles has been fortunate to work with a group of twelve contractors who provide a steady flow of work. Presently, Charles is stationed in the Balkans and travels to areas including the Middle East, Africa, and Russia. “My work is comprised of waste planning with local, regional, and national public administrations; completing specific technical and financial feasibility studies, which allow EU member states to comply with EU directives in waste legislation.” Much of the work Charles is involved in involves devising systems for waste collection, treatment and disposal, and providing cost analysis of the systems to the end user, as well as gaps in funding to government administrations. “Once approved, then my work focus is on project management,” Charles responds. Charles has enjoyed his travels overseas. When asked if there is a special spot he enjoys more than others he replies, “I really like everywhere! I like Russia as 3
Brother spotlight continued the country is fascinating and the Russian people I worked with were of a high caliber and resourceful. Djibouti, on Africa’s horn is interesting and different, but its small and has oppressive heat.” Charles believes that the larger eastern European cities have more to do and see and have a good deal of expatriates to relate with. Charles has chosen Bucharest for his present home due to low cost of living, activity/nightlife, and reliable services. “As part of the European Union it instills a certain degree of confidence in its institutions, safety, and evolution, including the respect for human rights and property/money. Charles suggestions that for those graduating from college and considering a career involving international travel: “The work is demanding where you often need to stand alone. It requires significant ability to continuously adapt to local settings and new people, as well as languages and cultures.” As Charles reflects on his fraternity days, he offers, “Fraternity life is an exercise in communal living which requires adaptation and exposure to various personalities and situations. Much like we will encounter later in life. It’s a second university where you are exposed to problems in operating a house and human relations. I view my fraternity experience as one of the most important development periods both personally and professionally in my life.”
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chapter Financial support How to Raise Financial Support for Chapter House Capital Improvements and Ensure Important Tax Deductions for Donors. (Reprinted from an earlier publication) Over the past few years, the interest and development of capital improvement projects for our chapters with houses has increased greatly. Many graduate brothers who are involved with the property management of chapter facilities recognize that raising sufficient funds will be necessary in order to meet the capital improvement needs for the chapter house. However, given the chapter’s and graduate brothers’ lack of not-for-profit status under IRS code raising funds becomes problematic without any incentive for tax deductions for prospective donors. The Educational Foundation has taken the lead in attempting to address this issue for all chapters. Presently, the IRS requires that an Educational Area Use Grant application be completed when a chapter begins capital improvements to the house and is seeking contributions from donors. This application and the subsequent IRS analysis provides for a certain percentage of contributions to be tax-deductible based on the proper and IRS approved use of space within the chapter house that is used solely for educational purposes. The Foundation is presently working with legal counsel to develop a uniform template that could be applied to all chapters who are considering fundraising activities for capital improvements so that a program can be established to assist all chapters. The plan would call for the Foundation to setup a chapter specific fund within the Foundation to assist chapters in raising money. Additionally, professional staff from the Fraternity and Foundation can be utilized to assist with the completion of the Educational Area Use Grant application, develop marketing plans and materials to be used and meet with prospective donors to facilitate the raising of money for chapter house improvements. Below is a list of general information that is required to begin the application process. You can contact Scott Carlson, CPA, Chief Executive Officer of the Fraternity & Foundation at scarlson@alphachirho.org or Shane McGoey, Ph.D., Director of Development at smcgoey@alphachirho.org to learn more and begin the process required by the IRS for fraternal organizations when raising money for capital improvements. Initial List of Items Needed to Complete the Application for Housing Projects: 1. Architectural Plans with all rooms identified on the plans as well as those that will be used for educational purposes. 2. Square footages of each room and each floor, with supporting areas (stairs, hallways, etc.) broken out separately. 3. Narrative description of the use of each room believed to be educational in nature and its furnishings. 4. Construction budget with basic categories of expenses, and separate budgets for each of the furniture and fixtures in the educational rooms, fire safety equipment for the educational areas, computer wiring throughout the house and desks, desk chairs, and computers located in any room. 5. Percentage of campus that is Greek and percentage that live in chapter houses. 6. Official names of chapter, house corporation, and university. 7. Determination letter from the IRS recognizing the house corporation to be exempt under Code Sections 501(c)(7) or 501(c)(2). 8. Obtain a letter from appropriate University official stating that educational facilities are similar to what University provides (A sample letter can be supplied). 9. As the project develops, additional information may be requested. 5
Cultivating Men of Word and Deed. Like our new tag line? We think it helps us explain our Landmarks and Vision a bit better to Undergraduate men today. Don’t get me wrong - Be Men will always have a special meaning in our Fraternity. But let’s face it, explaining to a young man outside of our Order what exactly being a man is these days, well… it isn’t that easy. That’s why your support of our Graduate Dues is so important.
Why should you pay your Graduate Dues? Graduate Dues help our Brothers understand the meaning of Word and Deed. It’s that simple. Take for example, the story of the Graduate Brothers at West Chester University. They want to re-colonize. Bringing a chapter back to active status takes a lot of resources, including money. While these men have committed their time, talent, and treasury to returning a chapter to their campus, the National Fraternity pays for staff members to visit a colony monthly; teaching them everything they need to know about how to run a chapter, the Alpha Chi Rho way – In Word and Deed. The Fraternity helps a colony learn with officer materials, videos, Conclaves, and pairing them with a chapter close by so that they can learn from other Undergraduate Brothers. Surprisingly, the cost of colonizing an Alpha Chi Rho group approaches $50,000 easily.
West Chester is just one story. Our Undergraduate Brothers are tomorrow’s leaders. The same was true of you when you were in school and the Fraternity was there for you. And some of you even received scholarships or low-interest loans from the Educational Foundation to ensure that your college tuition was paid and that you graduated from school. So why should you pay your Graduate Dues? Let us know what your reason is… it’s probably worthy of a story. Alpha Chi Rho - Cultivating Men of Word and Deed
Name__________________________________________ Chapter_____________ Grad Year_____ 2012GEN ___ Here’s my $75 Graduate Dues for 2012-2013
___ I would like to donate a different amount for educational use TOTAL
$______
$______
$______
___ Check enclosed (Payable to AXPEF) ___ Please charge my ___ VISA ___ M/C ___ American Express ___ Discover Account #:________________________________________ Exp. Date: _________________ CSC Code: _________________ Signature: _________________________________________ Mail to: AXPEF, Inc., 109 Oxford Way, Neptune, NJ 07753 Phone (732) 988-0588 Fax (732) 988-5357 Donations can also be made online - http://www.alphachirho.org/donations
Save the date for Convention 2013!
The location and dates for the 2013 Alpha Chi Rho Convention have been decided! It will be held at the Kingston Plantation Resort in sunny Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on August 8th through the 13th! The resort’s website shows some of the great amenities and area attractions for those of you who have not been to Myrtle Beach. More information will be available in the coming weeks, including a special reservation link to lock in with our group rate. We hope to see you there!
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Brothers,
R. B. Stewart National Headquarters 109 Oxford Way | Neptune, NJ 07753 T 732-869-1895 | F 732-988-5357 | hq@alphachirho.org
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